Fake Doctor Charged After NY Mom Dies from Botched Butt Implant Surgery

Authorities in New York are investigating the death of a 31-year-old mother following a cosmetic procedure gone wrong inside her Queens apartment. Maria Penaloza Cabrera, originally from Colombia, died on April 11, nearly two weeks after undergoing butt implant removal surgery on March 28, which was allegedly carried out by an unlicensed individual.

The suspect who is believed to have performed the procedure, Felipe Hoyos-Foronda, 38, is said to have injected Cabrera with lidocaine through a syringe. The anesthetic caused cardiac arrest, and Cabrera was sent to a hospital where physicians battled to save her. After nearly two and a half hours of medical intervention, Cabrera was declared brain-dead and later removed from life support.

According to her sister, Linney Penaloza Cabrera, Maria chose the practitioner based on a friend’s recommendation. “She trusted him because someone she knew had surgery done there and came out fine,” her sister said in an interview with The New York Daily News. Another friend who accompanied Maria that day informed the family she had been taken away in an ambulance but didn’t realize the situation was critical.

The operation took place at Hoyos-Foronda’s residence on 35th Street in the Ditmars Steinway area of Queens. Authorities believe he was running an illegal cosmetic practice, offering services like Botox and liposuction at discounted prices. His now-deleted TikTok page reportedly featured promotional videos and images of clients undergoing various procedures, which attracted customers despite his lack of medical credentials.

The substance used, lidocaine, is a local anesthetic approved by the FDA and commonly used to numb tissue or manage irregular heartbeats. However, when administered improperly or in large doses, it can be fatal. Prosecutors believe lidocaine toxicity to be the main reason for Cabrera's death, although the final autopsy report is yet to come from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Hoyos-Foronda was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport on the same day the operation was carried out, as he was trying to board a flight to Colombia. Investigators tracked him down using his vehicle’s license plate, captured on traffic surveillance. He now faces charges for second-degree assault and practicing medicine without a license.

“This is still a developing case,” the Queens District Attorney’s Office said in a statement. “We are actively reviewing the charges based on the circumstances and findings.”

Cabrera's death has left her two young children without their mother and devastated her loved ones.

References:

1. Flores, Celina Tebor. “Florida Woman Died After Cosmetic Surgery at Clinic Where 3 Other Patients Have Also Died.” USA Today, April 18, 2025. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/04/18/woman-died-botched-cosmetic-surgery/83158679007/. Accessed April 19, 2025.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Sai Sindhuja K/MSM)